Music accompanies rich history

Sunday

Feb 26, 2012 at 12:01 AMAug 15, 2012 at 3:02 PM

JANE CHRISTESON, COMMUNITY VOICES

As we near the end of Black History Month, we should contemplate the huge impact that the music of African-Americans has had on American culture and society. This rich, complex palette of sounds is threaded into our national fabric.

When African people were forced into slavery and brought to the New World, they brought their ancestral music with them. Intricate rhythmic patterns were inherent in this ethnic music; however, drums were forbidden by many slave owners, who believed that these sounds would cause slaves to revolt. Music continued to be made, however, filling the days with work songs and field hollers. Most Africans were assimilated into the Christian religion, resulting in the birth of the spiritual -- expressing both great joy as well as suffering.

The hope of these spirituals was soon to be joined by that eternal song of the oppressed -- the blues. By the dawn of the 20th century, a miracle happened in New Orleans: the popular ragtime style of Scott Joplin with its syncopated rhythms evolved, along with "jass" or jazz -- lively music that helped separate many a sailor from his money.

Joplin was recognized as a fine composer and his music was published -- somewhat of a rarity for black musicians. Long after the end of the Civil War, African-Americans were still excluded from many educational institutions. Black students who were able to receive degrees from schools such as the Oberlin and New England Conservatories were unable to find jobs in American symphonies. Not to be denied, these players founded their own orchestras and choral groups, and many were popular in Europe as well as the U. S. The European composer Antonin Dvorak, in New York to work with young American composers, wondered why we would look to Western Europe for musical inspiration. He became convinced that American composers should base their musical style on the plantation songs and spirituals of the African-Americans -- our original musical

heritage.

Another important thread in this musical fabric is that of the brassy town band, which African-Americans quickly assimilated. Adding the lively rhythmic element of the new jazz craze, many bands formed with one-on-a-part players, featuring artists like Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. The blues rolled along as well, with Bessie Smith adding the voice to the standard 12-bar blues tune.

After the vacuum created by World War II, the music of black Americans became incredibly influential. Jazz was speeding up, becoming an exciting mixture of rhythm and blues that was the immediate stepping stone to rock and roll, pioneered by artists such as Chuck Berry. During this time, a white western swing stylist from Texas -- Bill Haley -- was overheard in a recording studio by a black band producer, who suggested he enhance his swing tune with an up-tempo rhythm -- resulting in the sensational "Rock Around the Clock."

Classical music continued to be written by black composers while popular music was evolving. What is astounding is the fact that most of it was rarely heard by the majority of audiences in America, and if published, quickly faded from public view, only to be found in libraries of conservatories and universities. However, in Central Florida, the Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation is continuing to commission and publish new music, while helping young singers continue musical study after high school.

In the modern musical world, many black musicians replaced melodies (or combined them) with rhythmic speech -- and rap was created. This incredible art form, with its subgroup of hip hop, has exploded around the world, inspiring lyrics and social commentary in a multitude of languages. Today black musicians obviously thrive as creative artists in both the classical and popular worlds -- as performers, composers, conductors and producers.

So before the month of February comes to a close, let us acknowledge and celebrate the music composed and performed by black Americans -- a unique contribution to our melting pot of culture that defines our identity and enhances the human experience.

Christeson is a professor of music at Stetson University.

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